Colossians 2:11-15

 

Col 2:11 (KJB)

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

 

(Deu 10:16 KJV) Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.

 

(Deu 30:6 KJV) And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

 

Back in Deuteronomy God was already giving insights about His salvation program. Physical circumcision was the sign of the covenant that one belonged to God but it was only a temporary foreshadow of the circumcision of the heart which was a description of salvation by grace. Deuteronomy 30:6 states that the Lord God Himself will circumcise the heart, that is, He will be the one who will be doing the saving. As we read further in that verse we see that this circumcision of the heart will enable the believer to love the Lord God with all their heart and soul, so that they may live. It is referencing eternal life when it says “that thou mayest live.” Salvation is eternal and it is never to be lost, for once God saves someone, it is forever. In Col. 2:11, the rest of the verse states that we will be putting off the body of the sins of the flesh. This means that no longer will the true believer be a slave to the sins of the flesh while on earth. The fallen nature can be overcome by the inward regeneration from Christ.

 

Col 2:12 (KJB)

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

 

Operation - Working

 

(Rom 6:3 KJV) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? It must be understood that water baptism is not in view because water baptism has absolutely no effect upon salvation. A person can be baptized 1,000 times and still be an unbeliever. The baptism in view here is being baptized or identified with the death of Christ for sins. The principle being taught here is that the true believer is dead to sin. (Rom 6:2 KJV) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Just as Christ died for sin, He was raised from the dead. The believer likewise is also raised from the dead. (Rom 6:4 KJV) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4 is a great parallel to Colossians 2:12. We died with Christ, we were resurrected like Christ, and now we walk in newness of life. We no longer live under the nature of the first Adam but now we live because of the second Adam. The believer was spiritually dead but now made spiritually alive. (Eph 2:5 KJV) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) We received our resurrected souls which immediately qualified us for Heaven.

 

Col 2:13 (KJB)

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

 

Dead - Lifeless or useless

Quickened - Made alive

Having Forgiven - Forgive, release, or pardon

All - Totally

 

Death is basically separation and Paul is reminding the Colossians that they were dead in sins and that meant they were separated from God plus they had not received the circumcision made without hands as spoken of in verse 11. They were still subject to the fallen nature which was the sin-laden nature. Then as a result of God’s salvation, God had taken His Elect and made them alive unto Him. We were made alive with Christ. (John 5:21 KJV) For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

The next part of this verse is of the utmost importance. Since Christ has made us alive, He has forgiven us all our trespasses. This means that every sin that any believer has committed, or will commit in the future has already been paid for. There is not one sin which is held to the account of any believer. Those who claim that a person can lose their salvation have no understanding of the fact that every single sin of the believer has been forgiven. If every sin has been forgiven, then what could possibly keep us out of Heaven? These same folks claim that our future sins could keep us out of Heaven. Let us ask a simple question. Where were you when Christ went to the cross? You were not even born yet which means ALL your sins were in the future. It also means that ALL of those sins have been paid for and this means your soul is completely clean, with not one blemish.

 

Col 2:14 (KJB)

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

 

Blotting out - Wipe out or obliterate

Handwriting of ordinances - The crimes of the criminal written and placed at the location of execution

Contrary - Against or hostile to

Out of the way - Away out of the midst or middle

 

Paul continues the great emancipation of the believer. Christ has forgiven every trespass of the believer and here we are told that all our crimes, our sins, were completely obliterated. The hand writing of ordinances was the crime or crimes the prisoner was guilty of. The ordinances which the believer was guilty of was the violation of the law of God. We broke every law, even if we broke only one. (James 2:10 KJV) For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. So here the law became our enemy because it openly showed us that we were guilty of breaking God’s law but when Christ went to the cross, He had fulfilled the demands of God’s righteous law and because we were in Christ, being baptized unto His death, we were found not guilty of the violation of God’s law. As Col. 2:14 puts it, Christ completely obliterated the charges against us, so never again will the believer ever have to come into judgment for any sins. The verse further states that Christ took those charges against us away from us, out of the midst, that is, the sins no longer prevent fellowship with God and with other Christians. It goes on further to state that He nailed it to His cross, which means the law is totally dead to us in the area of accusations and violations because Christ paid for every single violation of the law that the true believer would ever commit. There would never be even one violation of the law which could ever affect our salvation and our purity of our souls because of Christ’s total effectual sacrifice.

 

Col 2:15 (KJB)

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

 

And having spoiled - Strip away, divest, or renounce

Principalities - Rulers

Powers - Authorities

He made a show - Made an example or spectacle

Openly - Openly publicly, fearlessness, or boldness

Triumphing - Lead in triumph or triumph over

 

Here we have the making of a victory parade for Christ and the believers. When Christ went to the cross, what He did was strip the power and authority of the rulers of evil. Christ plundered the kingdom of Satan and released His Elect from the bondage of sin and Satan. (Mat 12:29 KJV) Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. Matthew 12:29 was a prophecy of what was going to transpire at the cross. Christ plundered the house of the strong man, that is, Satan’s kingdom resulting in millions becoming saved. Satan had no power to stop any of God’s Elect from becoming saved. Just as the victories of the ancient conquerors resulted in a great homecoming parade, normally the conquered people were paraded before the cheering crowds of the victorious ones. The way Christ shows us openly is the fact that we have become saved and we begin to start working in the Kingdom of God to bring others into the Kingdom, that is, to evangelize the lost and train the saved. Just like a great parade for the victors, Christ is showing us to the powers of darkness which He triumphed over and which we triumph over through Christ. Christ showed the world that He was victorious over Satan and that his power was secondary and no match for Christ. The kingdom of Satan continues to be plundered today and there is not a thing he can do to stop it.

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